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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26236120">no way back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetroe/pseuds/poetroe'>poetroe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Wuko Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, First Kiss, M/M, Wuko, Wuko Week, light ruins of the empire spoilers, post ruins of the empire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:54:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26236120</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetroe/pseuds/poetroe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You kissed me,” Mako says, looking as dazed as Wu feels.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t call it a *kiss* kiss,” Wu says quickly. “But, yeah… I guess I did.” He straightens his jacket and runs a hand through his hair, willing his heart to slow down. “Glad to see you’re still paying attention, detective.”</p>
<p>Day 1 for Wuko Week: first kiss</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mako/Prince Wu (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Wuko Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905655</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>225</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>no way back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>big big thank u to the ppl who came up w wuko week 2020 !! although i've sort of written wuko before, it was always as background ship in my korrasami fics. It feels great to finally be writing stuff for wuko and wuko only !!! hope y'all like this and see ya tomorrow xx</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun has set when they return to Republic City, but Wu prefers it this way. The city gleams and shimmers in the yellow lamplight, flashing as the buildings whiz by. The apartment windows are like stars, twinkling yellow gemstones set in the dark of the night. Wu turns away from the window of the Satomobile and towards Mako.</p>
<p>“Ah, it feels good to be back, doesn’t it?” Wu asks him as he stretches his arms, as far as it’s possible on the backseat. Mako glances his way, then returns his steady gaze back towards where the road leads them around the spirit wilds and past Yue Bay.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” he answers. “I didn’t know you missed the city so much.” He pauses. “Actually, I thought you would be going back to Ba Sing Se, since our business in Gaoling was finished.”</p>
<p>“Why would I go back there?” Wu replies wistfully. “The palace and the grounds have been gifted back to the people—there’s nothing waiting for me, there.”</p>
<p>“Except the elections,” Mako mutters. “There and most other places in the Kingdom. No offense, Wu—” Wu raises his eyebrow at his former bodyguard. “But, for <em>months</em>, you seemed so consumed by your goal of abolishing the monarchy. Aren’t you going to go back to it?”</p>
<p>Wu sighs. It’s true—in the months between leaving Republic City and coming back to meet with president Moon about the remnants of Kuvira’s army in Gaoling, his days had been filled with traveling, meetings with state leaders, earth sages and other nobility. In short: fulfilling his duty as the Earth Kingdom’s King. And in his free time, when he’s just Wu, he would write letters to Mako.</p>
<p>Replies came irregularly, either due to Wu being almost constantly on the move or Mako being busy rounding up the triads that ravaged the parts of the city hurt most by the invasion. Pretty much as soon as his injury allowed him to work again, he did, much to Wu’s dismay. It showed in his letters, which became increasingly brief and to the point.</p>
<p>In the end, they were both bettering their world, their homes, as best they could. “I will return to it eventually,” Wuko replies, gaze back on the city whizzing past. “Democracy isn’t going anywhere. I just needed a break.”</p>
<p>Mako smiles. “And a tea leaf skin wrap?” he asks playfully, his smirk widening. “You might need one, after months of working so hard.”</p>
<p>Wu smirks back. “Maybe. Can I assume that you’re coming along this time?” To his credit, Mako actually looks like he’s considering it. “We both need it, after everything Guan put us through,” Wu says. “All that stress will make your skin break out in the worst way.” Four hours getting pampered at his favorite place, together with his favorite person… There are worse ways to recover from being brainwashed.</p>
<p>“You know what?” Mako says, “I’ll do it. After helping out both the Earth King and the President, the chief <em>has</em> to give me at least a few days off, right?” Wu claps his hands together excitedly as a huge grin erupts on his face.</p>
<p>“Oh, Mako, that would be the <em>best</em>, I’ll personally make sure you get a week off at the least!” he exclaims. The grin is hurting with the force it pulls on Wu’s cheeks and the weight of his responsibilities, that had been resting heavy on his shoulders for weeks, suddenly feels lighter than a feather.</p>
<p>It’s just feeling happy with no conditions, just him and Mako, just like how it was after they first met. Wu slides towards the other boy, reaching for him with an outstretched arm, ready to pull him into a tight hug. Despite the time apart, Mako knows what’s about to come—that much is clear from his eyeroll and his opening arms—it makes Wu remember once again how good it feels to be around him.</p>
<p>But the car hits a bump in the road; or Wu, in his enthusiasm, miscalculates; or maybe it’s how they’re both tired from having their minds reverse-engineered—it all happens a little too fast for Wu to be sure. All he knows is that his arm has slid past Mako’s shoulder and curled around his neck, the other resting on Mako’s knee, attempting to steady himself as he knocks into the other boy, lips first.</p>
<p>They land on the corner of Mako’s mouth, but it feels close enough to count as a kiss, and immediately Wu’s face grows hot. “Sorry, I’m— Wow, sorry, I didn’t mean to—”</p>
<p>“You kissed me,” Mako says, looking as dazed as Wu feels.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t call it a <em>kiss</em> kiss,” Wu says quickly. “But, yeah… I guess I did.” He straightens his jacket and runs a hand through his hair, willing his heart to slow down. “Glad to see you’re still paying attention, detective.” It’s Mako’s turn to grow red. Wu can’t help but feel grateful that he’s not the only one getting flustered. It’s not about the kiss, per se—it’s more about how it happened. Like with any self-indulgent crush, Wu used to let himself imagine the perfect setting for a first kiss: with Mako, it would be in his arms in a dark night, right after he saves Wu from some dangerous types; or cuddled together on a picnic blanket on the beach, at sunset. Anywhere but the backseat of a Satomobile.</p>
<p>Mako clears his throat silently before he speaks again. His yellow eyes light up every time they pass a street light. Wu holds his gaze steadily. “So, you didn’t actually kiss me,” Mako states. The way in which he looks at Wu can only be described as careful; as if the slightest movement will irreversibly change something between them.</p>
<p>Wu swallows. Perhaps it would.</p>
<p>When he doesn’t reply, Mako continues, trying for a smile: “Must be something when you kiss someone for real.”</p>
<p>“You better be careful, Mako,” Wu mutters as he turns away, his gaze back on the city, “or I might do something we might not come back from.”</p>
<p>A part of him prays it was too soft for Mako to hear. But the fabric of his clothing crinkles as he shifts, away from the window and towards Wu, and says otherwise. Mako’s hand, firm and surprisingly warm, comes to rest on Wu’s knee.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Mako mutters, looking on as Wu covers his hand with his own. “Sometimes the best things become possible when there’s no way back.” He smiles, eyes golden, before leaning back and directing his gaze back to the water of the bay.</p>
<p>They’ve just passed the Pro-bending Arena, which means they will arrive at the Republic City Four Elements soon. Wu tries to put it out of his mind for the last bit of the trip, a dopy smile plastered on his face, squeezing the hand that he’s holding safely in place on his knee on occasion.</p>
<p>There really is no way back from this, Wu thinks, as he revels in the warmth of Mako’s hand and the butterflies in his stomach. He squeezes Mako’s hand a last time, as if to remind himself that this drive is actually happening.</p>
<p>Another streetlight flashes by as Mako squeezes back.</p>
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